Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) made his first campaign appearance in defense of his embattled running mate on Monday, taking the stage at a rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, to claim that Donald Trump “literally embodies the spirit of America.”
“It’s been an interesting few days,” Pence said at the start of the event, nodding to the turmoil unleashed by a 2005 video obtained by the Washington Post that showed Trump bragging about groping women without their consent.
“But I’ve got to tell you, I joined this campaign in a heartbeat because you have nominated a man for president who never quits,” Pence went on, according to Yahoo News. “He is a fighter. He is a winner and we will make America great again.”
The Indiana governor initially laid low after the tape was published, calling Trump’s comments indefensible and saying he would “pray” for his running mate’s family. Reports indicated that Pence was waiting to see how Trump did in Sunday’s second presidential debate before deciding how to proceed.
If his speech in Chatlotte was any indication, Pence seemed to think Trump’s performance was a slam dunk.
“You know, it takes a big man to know when he’s wrong, and to admit it, and have the humility to apologize, and be transparent and be vulnerable,” Pence said, according to Yahoo. “And Donald Trump last night showed that he’s a big man.”
Pence’s praise comes as House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) reportedly told his own party members to focus on their own races ahead of Election Day, while reassuring them he would not rescind his endorsement of Trump. The real estate mogul fired back on Twitter, telling Ryan to stop “fighting the Republican nominee.”
Pence did not comment on the backlash from fellow Republicans, instead pointing to his evangelical faith as the reason he personally felt able to forgive Trump’s remarks.
“We all fall short of the glory of God,” he said, according to Yahoo. “There’s no one righteous other than the one. As I said last weekend, I don’t condone what was said and I spoke out against it, but the other part of my faith is, I believe in grace.”
